Troy’s proposed 2016 budget review included a peek at some proposed projects next year and beyond such as possible West Main Street widening.
Patrick Titterington, city service and safety director, led the discussion of the budget review with the council at a Nov. 23 work session. Council will be asked to approve the budget, through the annual appropriations ordinance, at future meetings.
Several department budgets include money set aside to help pay for new radios to be purchased as part of the upgrade of the county 9-1-1 system. The county bought a new system backbone this fall.
As part of the upgrade, the radios will allow for communication with any radio in the state as part of the statewide Multi-Agency Radio Communication System (MARCS), Titterington said. The total cost of radios to the city has not been determined, with the county possibly paying a portion of the bill, he said.
In the fire department budget, $15,000 was proposed to pay for a firm to analyze calls and use of the city fire stations as the city looks at “significant investment” at fire station one on Race Street, the oldest of three stations.
The budget also includes money for three hydraulic cots for ambulances, at a cost of $42,000 each. Grants are expected to pay for a portion of those costs.
With the Ohio Department of Transportation’s plans in 2019 to pave West Main Street from Cherry Street to Interstate 75, the city can simply have the street repaved or look at improvements to an area of heavy traffic and narrow lanes, Titterington said.
The 2016 budget includes $200,000 for a possible study of that stretch of West Main Street to look at options such as widening the street, adding bike lanes and moving sidewalk that in some areas is adjacent to the curb.
“Everybody has traveled it. You know there are pinch points. You know that the lanes are narrow,” Titterington said.
“If we are going to have an opportunity to look at that road … next year is the time to look at that and determine what is feasible and what is not. This is our busiest, biggest road and, if we are going to invest our money, that is really where we need to invest it,” he added.
The budget also includes $800,000 for the annual street paving program; $300,000 for the sidewalk program in the downtown area; and $300,000 for the Mulberry Street parking lot project.
In city parks, the budget includes $90,000 for building restrooms at Archer Park. That project is the top priority for the park board, Titterington said.
Asked if the park department has adequate staffing with this year’s purchase of more than 100 acres to add to Duke Park, he said the parks superintendent “has made very good use of staff” available including temporary help.
A future anticipated project would be changes in the city’s trash packer trucks to semi-automatic tipper trucks and purchase of three automated refuse packer trucks for an estimated $800,000
As part of that project, the city expects to spend more than $400,000 to buy trash totes for stops on its refuse routes similar to those being used now in the recycling program, Titterington said. The new trucks possibly would use compressed natural gas.
Among other changes proposed in budgets were:
- A $3,000 increase in the law director’s budget to go toward more pay for public defenders.
- In the fire department, $41,000 was requested for added training in rescue situations.
- In the police department, $9,000 was requested for supervisory training with the promotion this year of new sergeants and captains.
